Feb 8, 2012

Ancestor Spirits of the Dawnlands: One-Handed Rider

When a Kadiz nomad summons an ancestor spirit to assist them, unless they name a specific ancestor, they get One-Handed Rider.

One-Handed Rider is the folk hero of the Kadiz, the embodiment of their common values. He is a clever trickster, a brave warrior, a clan-leader with a hundred wives, a skilled trader and the best horse thief on the plains. He has many legends, and each Kadiz clan has their own story of the adventures of One-Handed Rider, which is embellished and added to each year by the clan's storytellers at the annual potlatches.

It is said that he was the last direct descendant of the kings of High Kaddish, that he was the son of a dragon and a Dawnman; that he lost his hand by the sorcerous axe of the Autumn Ghost King or that one of his wives cut it off to ensure his fidelity, or that it burnt away when he stole the Sun. It is said that he could ride the lost Whirlwind Path, that he knew the grazing grounds of the Secret Horses of Balten, and that he once sailed across the sea to the lands of the Salt Men and became their king for a time.

All the legends agree that One-Handed Rider did not die, nor did he become a divine hero, nor a god, but rather he turned into a spirit of the plains itself. It is said he still wanders the plains, getting up to trouble and protecting the Kadiz from great threats. He can be recognised by his grey hat, his single hand, and his piebald horse.

When summoned, he will possess the summoner overtly. The summoner's left hand will go limp and become unusuable until the possession is complete. One-Handed Rider is friendly enough to his descendants, but he loathes cowards and is a notoriously reckless fellow. He is a trickster spirit, who cannot help inventing complex schemes to resolve even the simplest problems. As payment for summoning, the person will be expected to concoct a new story (true or not), of the adventures of One-Handed Rider and share it with other nomads so that it becomes part of the ever-growing legend of One-Handed Rider.

INT 21

POW 40

CHA 21

Skills:

Dodge 90%

Persistence 90%

Deception 90%

Influence: 100%

Lore (Nomads) 90%

Ranged Combat 90%

Spirit Combat 75%

Spirit Sling: 1d6 damage

Magic:

One-Handed Rider knows all Battle Magic spells. For spells with variable magnitudes, he can cast them up to magnitude 6.